If you are here…
If you're here,
Almost certainly, you've been from doctor to doctor and all sort of therapists, hoping to be heard & seen in your wholeness, and provided with a definitive solution to your suffering, but so far, it hasn't happened yet.
You're probably experiencing inexplicable symptoms that you've been told are "not interconnected", and you have tried few approaches to address them without achieving complete resolution; but your intuition tells you that everything is interconnected and that, by finding the root cause, you'll be able to completely resolve all your symptoms.
You may feel unvital, like "you're no longer yourself," that life isn't giving you much, that you're aging rapidly, that you gain or lose weight without knowing why, that you are bloated after eating, that you no longer sleep well, that you can't get pregnant and, even though you've been told that all of this is normal, that it is all related to the aging process, your metabolism or constitution, you know it's not, and that you're meant for something greater than a slow deterioration to death.
You may have received a label of "chronic patient" for an incurable condition that you carry without accepting this is your destiny. Perhaps you've been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, but you struggle to believe that your body is attacking itself for no reason. Or maybe you suffer from a "disease of unknown etiology," but you know that every effect has a cause behind it.
It's very likely that you've extensively worked on your health and well-being, that you have an "almost perfect" lifestyle, that you're committed to a wonderful nutritional plan, that you exercise, do yoga and meditate, that you get sunlight, and have undergone significant detoxification. You've probably also undergone a lot of therapy to address your trauma, and yet you still don't feel entirely well, and you keep wondering what puzzle piece is missing to complete your healing algorithm.
I want you to know that I've been there too, there and beyond, and that having hit rock bottom and risen again and again to walk my healing journey, has reminded me that:
Healing is not only possible but it's our birthright, and what we are perfectly designed for. We are capable and deserving of healing, of enjoying a fulfilling life, and of having a vital and radiant body; as well as creating the life we yearn for in our hearts.
And YES, you too are capable and deserving of this and much more. And NO, it's not just about learning it cognitively by repeating the affirmation while bypassing your reality. It's about creating a deep felt sense of safety and security in your body and Nervous System that will allow you to remember and feel, from every atom of your being, that you are capable and deserving of fully healing and creating the reality you desire.
To remind yourself capable and deserving is a significant and indispensable part of the process, but it's not everything. The process will also require you to commit to making lifestyle changes, to open yourself to scientifically-backed treatments, and to surrender to letting go of the old versions of yourself and labels, that are no longer supporting your healing intention.
So if you're here, resonating with me, it's because you're ready to heal and completely resolve your symptoms.
I have been there too
Dear patient and fellow self healer,
I am Sara, the founder of Embodied Medicine, a passionate root cause medical doctor and, like you, I am a patient who is also walking her healing journey. Walking my own healing path has gifted me with a deep understanding of chronic illness and with the ability to empathize with those who suffer from it.
I want you to know that I've been there too:
Being diagnosed with a chronic condition “there was no cure for” and only “supported” with non empathetic follow ups to screen for the frequent complications, as the evolution of my condition towards malignancy was in play.
Not accepting the “chronically sick” label, doing my own research, knowing there was a possibility for me to heal, going from medical to naturopathic doctors to all kind of healers and shamans, hoping I could be fully heard, seen, understood and provided with a solution.
Judged by my own colleagues for believing in something greater and for having hope and faith in my capacity and deservedness to heal.
Learning different forms of medicine and approaches to healing, investing in courses and master degrees, ending up financially broken and still feeling I was missing a fundamental piece in the puzzle of my own healing algorithm.
Pushing myself to the extreme, being very strict with my lifestyle, controlling my environment, trying to make everything "perfect," and feeling stressed by my rules and unsafe in my body and life experience.
Feeling isolated and misunderstood, unable to commit to any social plans due to my dietary restrictions and the unpredictability of my symptoms, having to cancel often in the last minute because I didn’t have the energy to do what I was missing the most; to feel the pleasure of being alive and to enjoy a safe and loving connection with a likeminded community.
I want you to know that I've been in all of the above and much more, and that there's nothing I can understand better than the depth of fear, frustration, sadness, anger, shame, and loss of hope that a chronic illness can trigger in all of us. I have developed deep empathy because I have been there, learning the hard way.
A lifetime dedicated to healing from a complex developmental relational trauma, heavy metal and mold toxicity, an autoimmune gastritis, breast implant illness, and multiple symptoms related to a dysregulated Nervous System,
Along with over 20 years of devotion and commitment to the wonderful path of supporting the healing process of many patients,
Has taught me and demonstrated that healing….
HEALING
Healing,
Healing is about coming into alignment with our truth; it requires us to remember who we are so we can commit to honoring our vital needs. The journey invites us to break free from patterns of self-abandonment and encourages us to choose ourselves, over and over again. It requires us to learn to say "NO" and remove from our body and life what is no longer in alignment with our truth and that is blocking our innate ability to self-repair. It's about shedding layers and melting the armors that separate us from our true essence, so we can express ourselves authentically. Learning to say "NO" so we can say "YES" to fully be who we are here to be.
The healing journey also invites us to ask ourselves what we are here for so we can commit to serve our purpose in integrity with our values. It asks us to stop serving other’s purposes to start serving our own. It reminds us that we are already capable to start sharing our gifts to the world as long as we do it with love.
Healing is about landing back in our bodies and learning to regulate our Nervous Systems so we can become curious observers of our Life experience without judgment. It is about developing kindness, compassion and forgiveness for ourselves. It is about learning to create an inner state of safety so we can manifest external safety without needing to control anything out there.
Healing is about understanding that symptoms are the body's language; they speak to us (and sometimes scream at us) about unresolved conflicts in our systems that are ready to be addressed and resolved. Symptoms that carry sacred messages that we need to receive to free ourselves from illness. Creating safety in our body and Nervous System is essential to being present and capable of hearing the messages.
Healing is about understanding that the body has an innate capacity for self repair when put under the right conditions and environment. It requires us to commit to make changes in our way of living and to trust and surrender to our natural pace.
To heal is to understand that there is an order in the healing algorithm, a sequence for therapeutic interventions that requires us to know which systems need to be prioritized so we can move towards complete resolution of the disease, rather than further stressing our systems. The journey shows us that the edge between healing and re-traumatizing ourselves is a very delicate one.
And probably the biggest inflection point for me was to understand that good health is dependent, first and foremost, on a well functioning autonomic Nervous System. Understanding that all “dis-eases” start with a dysregulated Autonomic Nervous System and that full recovery happens when we manage to regulate our "governor", when we learn to be in a predominant parasympathetic state.
Dear patient,
Like you, I always knew healing was possible. I never lost the trust for my body, my curiosity for the journey and my faith in Life.
And while I must confess that I don't have everything figured out, and I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, I can also confidently say that humbly surrendering to walk my healing journey has been a blessing that has opened me up to a new reality where I'm finally allowing healing to happen in me and through me.
My healing journey has also gifted me with the resources and capacity to empathize with my patients, see them deeply and hold, support and guide them on their journeys.
And as I continue to heal, my ability to support others expands.
So, I'm here to show you that you are also capable and deserving of healing, and that you are not walking alone. I'm here to walk with you, to hold you when you need it, and to celebrate your recovery.